A living trust is a legal document you set up while you’re alive to ensure that the assets you put in the trust, such as real estate, stock and bond holdings, CDs, and jewelry, are distributed in the ...

Christy Bieber has a JD from UCLA School of Law and began her career as a college instructor and textbook author. She has been writing full time for over a decade with a focus on making financial and ...

Dear Liz: Is there a minimum amount of assets required before a revocable living trust is advisable? I am retired but my wife is still working. If we do not include our 401(k) plans, our total liquid ...

Dear Liz: My husband and I made a living trust in 2004. He died in 2018, so his half became irrevocable. But while we were settling his estate, no one mentioned (though I can see clearly in the 2004 ...

A living trust gives you flexibility while sparing your loved ones the hassle of probate. A living trust can be far more costly and complicated to put in place than a will. Consider whether a living ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bob Carlson researches all facets of retirement finances. Most people who have revocable living trusts don’t reap their advantages ...

Dear Liz: A friend of mine contacted an estate planning attorney to do a living trust. The attorney gave her an estimate of $5,900 for this job. My friend is single, never married, no children, does ...

Mention a last will and testament, and almost everyone knows what you’re talking about. But that isn’t the only type of will you need. There are also living wills, which can serve as a “legal seatbelt ...

Living trusts can help your heirs avoid probate. A living trust can typically be updated while you're still alive. They can be more expensive than wills. This legal document gives you flexibility and ...